Alexander Skarsgård walked the red carpet at a BFI London Film Festival screening of his new film Tuesday evening wearing a pair of open-toe Saint Laurent heels, the same foot-revealing silhouette the French house showed on its spring 2027 menswear runway.
The shoes drew more attention than the screening itself, marking the latest instance of a male star using a festival appearance to test a look that would have read as a provocation on a men's red carpet a decade ago. Saint Laurent, designed by Anthony Vaccarello, has spent several seasons pushing heeled and open footwear into its menswear collections.
Skarsgård, 49, has built a career on physically imposing roles — the vampire Eric Northman in "True Blood," Perry Wright in "Big Little Lies," and the title character in 2016's "The Legend of Tarzan." He won an Emmy in 2017 for his supporting turn in "Big Little Lies." His willingness to wear heeled footwear fits a pattern among male actors who treat the red carpet as a fashion platform rather than a formality.
The BFI London Film Festival, now in its 69th edition, runs for 12 days across venues including the Southbank Centre and the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square. It is the largest public film festival in the United Kingdom and routinely draws international premieres ahead of the awards season calendar.
Saint Laurent's spring 2027 menswear show, held in Paris, included several looks built around exposed feet and elevated soles — a continuation of Vaccarello's interest in reshaping the label's menswear silhouette away from traditional tailoring codes. The collection has not yet reached retail; pieces typically arrive in stores roughly six to nine months after a runway presentation.
Men's footwear has shifted measurably in the luxury market over the past five years. Heeled boots, mules, and open-toe styles that once appeared only in womenswear now anchor men's seasonal offerings at houses including Saint Laurent, Gucci, and Loewe. Skarsgård's choice puts a mainstream film-festival audience in front of a look that until recently circulated mainly among fashion-week attendees.
The actor has not commented publicly on the outfit. His appearance at the festival was tied to a screening of his latest project, which he promoted alongside the film's cast and director.
